Kitchen Adventures--How Many Ways Can I Cook Rice and Beans?

Really, how many? Because it seems like every cuisine has its own multiple versions.

I found this recipe in the same cookbook as my first blogged rice and bean adventure (Bringing Back the Flair)--Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian. 

Nigerian Red Kidney Bean Stew with a Peanut Sauce

Begin by soaking one and one-half cups of dried kidney beans overnight. Drain soaking water, add six cups of fresh water to the pot and bring to a boil. Partly cover, turn heat to low, and cook for about two to two and a half hours.  Don't drain. Gently stir in two teaspoons of salt.

In another wide, medium pot, fry one medium onion (finely chopped), two garlic cloves (finely chopped) and one-half large green pepper (cut into a small dice) until the onion is translucent.

Add one teaspoon ground cumin and one-quarter teaspoon cayenne pepper. Stir once.

Pour in one cup canned tomato sauce...

...and one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.

Add one-half cup of water, stir, and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat to low and simmer gently for fifteen minutes.

Meanwhile...

...put one and a half tablespoons of plain, creamy peanut butter into a small bowl. Add about six tablespoons of the bean juice to the peanut butter, mixing as you go. Add this mix back into the pot of beans and stir.

Add the tomato mix and gently stir.

Serve over rice.

Official score: Eight out of ten chef hats.

Comments

[The Other Laura]

Sounds yummy, Karen! (Impressive photos along the way. Whenever I try to do this I spill and slosh or - once, I swear - cut myself and bleed all over the wooden spoon!)

You should submit this to the "kitchen table" at the women's colony.